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Press Release

7 September 2026

New Survey shows 8 in 10 adults want access to Palliative Care if they or someone close to them needs it, but more information is needed

Relief from pain and support for families and carers highlighted as priorities

8 out of 10 of adults in the Republic of Ireland want access to palliative care if they or their loved ones need it but further efforts are needed to support people to understand the full range of supports palliative care can provide to people with life-limiting conditions and their families. The findings are from a new survey of the public’s perceptions of palliative care, commissioned by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) ahead of Palliative Care Week, which takes place from 6 – 12 September 2026.

The survey of 1,000 people in the Republic of Ireland found that the overwhelming majority of the public want access to palliative care because people recognise that palliative care services can provide relief from pain, support for their families, and practical support at home.

  • 8 in 10 (81%) of people in the Republic of Ireland would want access to palliative care if they or someone close to them needed it
  • The top three factors’ people deemed most important if they need palliative care are relief from pain and symptoms (61%), being cared for at home (44%), and support for family and carers (40%).
  • 3 in 4 (74%) say they feel comfortable having a conversation with someone close to them about the care they would want if they became ill while only a third (32%) of people know where to find information or support to start that process.
  • Only 6 in 10 believe palliative care can support people with a serious of life- limiting illness (62%), help people manage pain and other symptoms (61%) and include emotional, social and spiritual support (60%)

This year’s campaign theme, ‘It’s Not What You Think,’ aims to dispel persistent misconceptions around palliative care and encourage open conversations about how these vital supports improve daily quality of life for people with life-limiting conditions and their families. The All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) is encouraging people throughout the island of Ireland to think about what palliative care is, and how it could positively support their lives, or the lives of their loved ones, now and in the future.

Taoiseach, Micheál Martin,

“I am encouraged to see the value the public place in access to palliative care. Palliative care has many benefits that support people every day who are living with serious illness, as well as supporting their families and carers. This year’s Palliative Care Week theme of ‘It’s not what you think’ provides all of us with an opportunity to think about what palliative care really is, what supports are available and to reflect on how it could help us or someone close to us and our communities.”

A key event in this year’s Palliative Care Week will be the All Island Palliative Care Practice Conference taking place at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on Tuesday, 8 September. The conference will explore and celebrate the many dimensions of palliative care that are transforming experiences of illness, care and living well across the island of Ireland and it will bring together health and social care professionals, researchers, educators, students, policy makers, volunteers and community organisations.

Karen Charnley, CEO, AIIHPC said:

“These findings give us a strong and positive message that people recognise the value of palliative care and want access to it when they or a loved one need support.

We have also been given a clear insight into the priorities for people, which includes pain and symptom relief and supports for families and carers. Our priority is to raise awareness of the benefits of palliative care and the supports available during Palliative Care Week.

“While we are pleased to see a significant drop in the number of people who think palliative care is mainly for people at the end of life, from 81% in 2024 to 55% in 2026, that still represents over half of all respondents. We hope this year’s campaign theme, ‘It’s Not What You Think’ will help people to connect and think about what palliative care really is, to learn more about how it could support them or a loved one now or in the future, and to have open conversations about the positive difference it can make to their lives,” Ms Charnley said.

Dr Feargal Twomey, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Milford Care Centre and

Clinical Lead, National Clinical Programme for Palliative Care, HSE/RCPI said:

It is very important that healthcare staff and the public are supported to understand what palliative care is about. It is reassuring to see that three in four people surveyed feel comfortable having a conversation with someone close to them about the care they would want if they became unwell. This kind of future healthcare planning so that your family and your healthcare team know the care you would or would not want for yourself is so important.

It is sobering however to learn from the survey that only a third of people know where to find information about palliative care. As a starting point may I recommend that you access the ‘HSE Health A to Z – Palliative Care’ online resource and discuss your wishes for your healthcare with the people close to you and with your GP, Public Health Nurse or at a hospital with any nurse, doctor or healthcare professional involved in your care.

This Palliative Care Week, people are encouraged to learn more about palliative care and its benefits and to find information about events taking place by visiting www.palliativecareweek.com.

Follow the campaign on social media @AIIHPC #pallcareweek.

Find further information about palliative care, including supports and resources to help you at www.thepalliativecarehub.com.

Access the HSE online resource HSE Health A to Z – Palliative Care.

** AIIHPC spokespeople are available for interview**

ENDS

 

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Claire O’ Flynn   085 800 1275 / claire@communicationsclinic.ie

Gordon Spierin  087 7724 717 / gordon@communicationsclinic.ie

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Photo Captions:

  1. Launching Palliative Care Week 2026, ‘It’s not what you think’ are Kate Lehane who receives palliative care support from LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice with Taoiseach Micheál Martin
  1. Launching Palliative Care Week 2026, ‘It’s not what you think’ are Kate Lehane who receives palliative care support from LauraLynn, Kate’s Mum, Sharon Lehane and Taoiseach Micheál Martin
  1. Launching Palliative Care Week 2026, ‘It’s not what you think’ are L-R Fintan Fagan, Chair, AIIHPC, Sharon Lehane, Kate Lehane who receives palliative care support from LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, Neil Lehane with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Karen Charnley, CEO, AIIHPC
  1. Launching Palliative Care Week 2025, ‘It’s not what you think’, L-R are Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Karen Charnley, CEO, AIIHPC and Fintan Fagan, Chair, AIIHPC
  1. Launching Palliative Care Week 2026, ‘It’s not what you think’, L-R are Taoiseach Micheál Martin with Kate Lehane who receives palliative care support from LauraLynn and Kate’s parents, Neil and Sharon Lehane.

Republic of Ireland Survey Findings:

  • In 2024 52% associated palliative care mainly with cancer. In 2026, only 12% associated palliative care mainly with cancer.
  • In 2024 81% of people associated palliative care mainly with end-of-life care. This figure dropped to 55% in 2026.
  • 81% feel reassured palliative care could help them or a loved one.
  • 70% recognise palliative care helps earlier in a serious illness, not just at the end of life.
  • 60% currently associate palliative care with “quality of life”.
  • 47% know it can be provided alongside other treatments e.g. chemotherapy.
  • Only 6% say they don’t know anything about palliative care.

Survey Methodology:

  • The research was conducted online by iReach Insights on behalf of AIIHPC from June 4 to June 11, 2026.
  • The sample size of 1,500 respondents (1,000 ROI; 500 NI) is nationally representative across age, gender, region, and socioeconomic status, providing a confidence level of +/- 2.5% at a 95% confidence interval.

Palliative Care Stats for Republic of Ireland within 2025

  • 20,886 new referrals to Adult Acute Specialist Palliative Care (SPC) teams.
  • 112 new children received SPC in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).
  • An average of 60 children/ month are in the care of the SPC team in CHI.
  • 337 children/month are in the care of the Clinical Nurse Consultants
  • 573 admissions to LauraLynn in 2025.
  • An average of 180 children/Family units received therapeutic support from LauraLynn Children’s Hospice per month.
  • 15,707 patients received specialist palliative care services in the community.
  • 89,705 Clinical Nurse Specialist visits to patients.
  • 4,356 patients received specialist inpatient palliative care services (hospice).

About the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care:
The All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) is a collaborative of hospices, health and social care organisations, universities and charities on the island of Ireland. AIIHPC’s aim, with our twenty-seven member organisations, is to ensure excellent palliative care is available for everyone at the right time and place across the island of Ireland.

AIIHPC works with a group of visionary partners who recognise the value of working together to achieve a better, richer experience of palliative care for people with life-limiting conditions. The organisation’s 27 members (15 Republic of Ireland / 12 Northern Ireland) are:

  • Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
  • Dublin City University
  • Dublin University Trinity College
  • Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation
  • Midlands Palliative Care Alliance
  • Evora Hospice Care
  • Foyle Hospice
  • Galway Hospice Foundation
  • Irish Hospice Foundation
  • Irish Cancer Society
  • LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice
  • Marie Curie
  • Marymount University Hospital & Hospice
  • Milford Care Centre
  • Northern Health and Social Care Trust
  • Northern Ireland Hospice
  • Northwest Hospice
  • Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services
  • Public Health Agency
  • Queen’s University Belfast
  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
  • South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
  • Southern Health and Social Care Trust
  • Francis Hospice
  • Ulster University
  • University College Dublin
  • Western Health and Social Care Trust

AIIHPC receives funding from a range of sources, including member organisations, the HSE, the Public Health Agency, the Health Research Board, and the Health and Social Care R&D Division, Public Health Agency.